It’s true—I was actually born on a Wednesday. I wouldn’t describe myself “full of woe,” though. I was an anxious kid for sure, but I also had a sunny streak; I was always full of energy and ideas, quick to laugh. And thanks in large part to a mom who wasn’t an anxious parent, whoContinue reading “Wednesday’s Child: The Locksmith”
Author Archives: mourningdove
Aikido and Rhetoric: Practice
Instructors can impart only a fraction of the teaching. It is through your own devoted practice that the mysteries of the Art of Peace are brought to life. Morihei Ueshiba, The Art of Peace I say to them that if they are to excel in oratory or in managing affairs or in any line ofContinue reading “Aikido and Rhetoric: Practice”
Letter of Recommendation: Cabbage
I’ve realized this winter what a MVP cabbage is. Sweet, meaty, low-calorie, and satisfying, it holds up well to a whole range of preparations and thus keeps our relationship fresh. Here are some of my favorite ways to use cabbage: Rick Bayless’s Hickory House slaw (sour): A stalwart of his grandparents’ BBQ restaurant in Oklahoma,Continue reading “Letter of Recommendation: Cabbage”
Pairing Tea and Chocolate
This is an essay I pitched to a food blog I used to follow, but they didn’t take it, so I’m posting it here! People who love tea often love chocolate, but pairing those indulgences isn’t as straightforward as it might seem. Grown in similar climates on different continents, tea leaves and cacao beans have complex flavor profiles that don’tContinue reading “Pairing Tea and Chocolate”
ATEEZ: “HALAZIA” dance practice
youtube.com/watch Just in case you were wondering what my boys were up to these days. Answer: stomping the floor in supreme synchronization. Also, I just want to point out that Yeosang is wearing some sort of jacket for this dance practice that I doubt I could get down my stairs in, much less dance in.Continue reading “ATEEZ: “HALAZIA” dance practice”
Living In: Victorian Christmas
So, I usually don’t pick my Christmas theme out this far in advance, but I was leafing through one of my old holiday issues of Victoria Magazine that I’ve saved since forever, and it reminded me of how long it’s been since I did a full-on, over-the-top Victorian Christmas. I’d better start aging that figgyContinue reading “Living In: Victorian Christmas”
Merry Grinchmas!
OK, it’s a little late, but that’s how I roll these days. Here are a couple of snaps from my Grinch-themed Christmas decorations. It all started with the animatronic singing Grinch doll my mom gave me this fall (ogling the ninjabread men there…), and then it mushroomed from there. Turns out there are websites willingContinue reading “Merry Grinchmas!”
Drama Queen: Alice in Borderland
I’m semi-retroactively christening a new series on the blog because I realized I have written a lot of posts about Asian dramatic series and movies, and I might as well round them up (rounding things up makes my inner Border Collie happy). Alice in Borderland is a 2-season Japanese dramatic series on Netflix based onContinue reading “Drama Queen: Alice in Borderland”
Advent Calendar Story: Day 25 (Epilogue)
“Verbum caro factum est….” Ursula had always thought of the Christmas hymn as far too glum for the happy news it bore: The Word has become flesh and dwelt among us. But today to her ears the music sounded joyful. It was funny how that worked, she thought with a smile: if you were sad,Continue reading “Advent Calendar Story: Day 25 (Epilogue)”
Advent Calendar Story: Day 24
Mother and Child Leo. Wake up! Leopold sat bolt upright in his bed with a gasp. He looked out the window. Snow was falling; he could see it in the light from the castle bonfires, lit for Christmas. It was sometime in the night before the first day of the holiday. For a moment heContinue reading “Advent Calendar Story: Day 24”
The Rookery 